Michael Morley

After graduating with a degree in Economic & Social History from the University of Liverpool in 2013 I decided to venture into the world of teaching.

I enrolled in Edge Hill University and graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Education in July 2015 before starting a permanent History teaching post in Warrington England and a Head of Year in 2017.

I became a teacher because I was inspired to become one by one my own History teacher. I remember the best lessons I ever had which always involved discussion, competition and challenges which I have endeavoured to emulate in lessons that I now plan. Whilst reflecting upon my own practice I have come to the realisation that although it would be hard to source just one element of my teaching ethos I have come to realise that at the heart of everything I do is the building and maintaining of relationships.

As Rita Pierson said, ‘every student needs a champion’. Through building and maintaining relationships with students under my responsibility I know that this is an essential skill for any educator to possess. This is reflected in my daily practice as I know that students learn best when they have a relationship with a teacher and are hooked from the very start until the end of a lesson. I am a big believer in using every minute of my lessons to get the best out of each and every student through creating opportunities for each student to succeed.

Furthermore, through understanding the power of relationships I endeavour to get to know each of my students through student voice questionnaires, conversations outside of lesson, taking the time to listen to students’ answers and attempting to gain a picture of ‘the whole person’; I feel that these elements of communication are essential when engaging with a young person.

When I take on a new class of students the first question I will ask is, who enjoys history? I understand that not all answers will be the consistently positive ones I hope for each year. Therefore, it is my personal challenge to change the mind-sets of those students who tell me they do not enjoy history and to further ignite the passion in those who do.

Teaching is important to me because I understand that as William A. Ward coined, ‘The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires’. I understand the weight and responsibility of this quote as I myself am a product of a teacher who inspired me. In this way I approach each class, group and individual student with the knowledge that I have a duty to do my best day in, day out for them. I look forward to working alongside the staff and students at NAS Dubai over the coming years.

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